Biographers talk politics, history with The Dartmouth
Before the four presidential Montgomery Fellows delivered their "Power and the Presidency" panel discussion yesterday, The Dartmouth caught up with them to discuss issues surrounding the 2000 Presidential campaign. Michael Beschloss, Edmund Morris, David Maraniss and Ben Bradlee, who all visited campus last year as Montgomery Fellows, returned to the College for a panel presentation focusing on the politics of the Oval Office. In the interview, the Fellows primarily discussed the Republican candidates, who have drawn more attention than the Democrats with the recent Arizona, Michigan and South Carolina primaries. "One of the features of the Republican party is that it always coronates the next in line, and the most fascinating event in the election so far is the possibility that won't happen," Maraniss said. Bradlee told The Dartmouth that for the first time in quite a while, the outcome of the Republican race is still up in the air -- and who will receive the party nomination is seriously in doubt. "This is a great election because of the real rump race going on, and nobody knows if the establishment figure is going to be kicked over in both parties," Bradlee said. Morris drew parallels between the current Republican race and the nomination of 1976, noting that McCain is in a similar position as was Ronald Reagan, challenging the favorite, Gerald Ford. Reagan had a surprise win in South Carolina and overnight transformed himself into a serious possibility for the nomination, according to Morris.
